Pulse
by Xinlatus
Summary: Naruto is a fiction writer and won awards for his book. But he struggles in between his work life and his personal life. When his wife threatening to leave him, he tries to fix the relationship, they go on vacation. That is when Naruto realizes that he starts losing his grasp on reality. Based on horror/thriller game Alan Wake. Modern AU. Slight OOC.
1. The Fraction of Reality

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto characters. Only the plot.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: The Fraction of Reality<strong>

**XxXxX**

**Is it real?**

**Everything that we're experiencing right now –all the perceptions, sensations, dreams, thoughts and feelings- are all in our consciousness.**

**But what is being conscious?**

**Is reality real?**

**XxXxX**

The song on the radio was getting boring. Naruto changed the channel. Static sound, static sound and another static sound –it was in the middle of the night anyway. Naruto turned off the radio. His finger tapped lightly on the steering while humming inwardly to a song that suddenly popped up in his head.

'Naruto…'

A voice whispered to his name. He was stunned. Suddenly a bright white light was coming in his way and a loud deafening sound was heard.

Breathing hard, Naruto awakened from his dream. He jolted on his bed, panting. His heart was beating like crazy. "Dream again, Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata. Apparently, she was awakened by him.

"Sorry…" muttered Naruto as he ran his hand through his unruly hair. Putting an assuring hand on Naruto's right shoulder, Hinata hushed her husband.

"It's just a dream. Let's get back to sleep…" she said softly.

Slowly, Naruto regulate his breathing, lie back on the bed, cuddling to his wife.

**XxXxX**

Morning came fast. Naruto was up on his bed, with his head pounding slightly. Slowly, he walked to the bathroom. He looked at his own reflection on the mirror. Signs of sleep deprived were obvious with dark circles around his eyes and his dull face. He opened the cabinet and took out his medication.

"Naruto-kun…". Hinata stood behind him.

Shocked, Naruto turned to face her. "Yes?"

"Are you still taking those pills? I thought you've stopped…". Disappointment was heard clearly in her voice and on her face.

Turning away, Naruto ignored her. He gulped three pills and flushed them in with a glass of tap water.

"You've promised me…". Hinata kept pressing her notion.

"Please… leave me alone".

Hinata gnawed the inside of her cheek in frustration. Her husband was still facing his back on her. "Naruto-kun…" she said.

"I'm taking a bath…". Naruto turned to look at her with his eyes narrowed, sending a 'don't bother me' look.

Iron taste of blood was lingering in Hinata's mouth and she stomped away leaving Naruto. The husband closed the door after her.

**XxXxX**

Days went on with Naruto locking himself in his writing room. Books scattered everywhere on the floor despite plenty of shelves in the room.

Tapping sound made by the keyboard was heard as Naruto typing continuously; sometimes a hiss and a grunt when he retyped the mistakes.

"Shit!". Naruto ran a hand on his face. He read through his story and it made him grunted. He totally despised it.

Then, the sound of the door being opened made Naruto stopped in his thought. He looked over his shoulder to the door. Hinata was there, looking at him.

"Don't you know what time it is?" she said. Naruto blinked at her.

Sighing, Naruto looked at the time on his laptop. It was late in the evening. He turned again but Hinata was no longer there.

**XxXxX**

It was dinner. Naruto ate his omelet silently, being eyed by Hinata. She had it enough and put the spoon down in a loud clank.

"I want to go back to my mum's house" said Hinata, breaking the silent.

Naruto lifted his head; his eyes wildly gazed at her. "Why?".

Sighing, "To calm things down" replied Hinata. Naruto stopped eating.

"I don't see the point…". Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"That's the point. You don't see what's going on, Naruto-kun". Hinata crossed her arms. Tense built up in between them quickly.

Naruto leaned back on the chair. He waited for the wife to spill her uneasiness. "We're falling apart. I'm falling apart" she sighed. "I needed you but—"

"I'm always there for you, Hinata" said Naruto. His voice was firm.

Hinata shook her head slightly. She could felt her feeling overwhelming but she refused to cry, to show her weakness, or to win with tears. She inhaled deeply. "You are here, but in your own world"

"I'm working…" he cut in.

"This is not how it should be. I'm always feeling… alone. And I hated it!" she spat. "Naruto-kun, I'm worried for us… for you, and for your health. Please, stop doing this to us!"

Naruto let out a deep groan. Fingers ran through his hair while his eyes darted away from Hinata. "I don't want to talk about this…" he muttered.

Hinata's breathing started to pick up. She gritted her teeth in anger. "This is the problem! Why won't you listen to me? Take a break, and face reality!"

"It's my work, Hinata! My work!" Naruto hissed in anger. It made Hinata burst into tears. She got up from her seat.

"Why are you shouting at me?! We're not gonna fix anything!" she cried it out and left the table. Naruto was feeling at fault, he tugged on her wrist. She fought back.

"No, no, no… Hinata, I thought we've gone through this before. And we've agree—"

"Agree on what exactly?!" she shouted at his face. Naruto clenched his jaw, his grip on her wrist loosened. Hinata glared at him with tears running down her cheeks. She walked away.

"Damn it!" cursed Naruto as he landed a fist on the table.

**XxXxX**

"Nothing works out". Naruto murmured to himself. He could not type anything decent that night, it irritate him. The fight he had with Hinata during dinner just made everything worse.

Naruto walked out of the writing room to his bedroom. Hinata was on the bed sleeping, maybe cried herself to sleep. The sight of her felt like a burden to him. Naruto went to the bathroom and immediately looked for his medicine.

Three white oval-shaped pills on his left palm. Naruto thought for awhile. Hinata's words kept replaying in his head.

'Naruto… kun…'

A voice called out to him. The pills dropped to the bathroom floor as Naruto jolted in shock. All he could saw was his own pity reflection on the mirror. His eyes were bloodshot.

But he saw something peculiar. He leaned closer to the mirror to confirm his thought. "Gahhh!" he yelled and scrambled on his feet away from the mirror. Naruto was breathing hard in nervousness and disbelief.

Again, he went closer to the mirror, widening his eyes with his fingers; closer and closer as he looked intensely into his bloodshot eyes. There, it was squiggling in his left eyeball. A tiny black worm was inside of his eyeball, squirming.

"What the—". Naruto instinctively raised his right hand, and using his fingers to touch, to remove the worm. His fingers trembled in his attempt, in rhythm with his crazy heartbeat.

"Naruto-kun…".

Naruto was jerked in shock. "Damn it, Hinata!" he spat and turned to his wife. "You scare the hell out of me!", a little bit of anger and annoyance.

Hinata scowled at him. "You screamed just now…" she said. Clearly, she was annoyed too. Her hairs were unruly, with strands wildly sticking out here and there.

Sighing, Naruto tried to calm himself. He widened his eyes. "Here, help me look at it…" he said.

The wife frowned at him. "Can you see anything? Anything at all?" asked Naruto, desperately. Hinata looked into his eyes. She then shook her head.

"Nothing. You just need some sleep…". Hinata crossed her arms. Naruto sighed. "Nothing at all?" he asked. "I saw a…" Naruto wondered if he should tell her the truth. He breathed out. "…a worm. Just now…"

"It's all in your head. I don't see anything but your red eyes. Now, sleep" she said instead. "Seriously…"

Naruto sighed in defeat. "I'll come over in a bit…" he exhaled.

Hinata eyed him some more before she left. However, Naruto got back to the mirror. _"Where is it?"_ he thought, looking for the worm.

**XxXxX**

Sleepless night was normal. Naruto usually flipped and turned on the bed continuously till the morning. Hinata often woke him up at night from his nightmare. That night was no different.

It was indeed a cold night but none like that night. Naruto's eyes shot opened. It was pitch black in the room. The satin blanket slid from his skin as he bolted up. Chill ran down his spine from the terrible cold. It bit into his bone.

"Hi-Hinata…" he shook Hinata's arm slightly. The wife grunted but not waking up. "Wake up…" he pleaded. He wrapped his arms around himself, cuddled into the fetal position.

The cold he experienced was odd. It swept across his skin from head to toe. The blanket, the fetal position was no longer effective. He cuddled closer to Hinata and eventually, she woke up.

"Hmm? What's wrong with you?" she asked as she turned to face him. Naruto was shaking from the cold. Hinata placed a hand on his cheek.

"You're freezing…" she commented as she rested on her elbow. "I'll get you something hot"

Minutes of waiting felt so agonizing. Hinata came with a cup of warm water. Desperately, Naruto drank it all to warm his inside but to no avail. It felt like the water had frozen the moment it entered his mouth.

"I'm… cold—" he said, then he passed out.

"Naruto-kun?!"

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><p><strong>AN: Inspired by a horror/thriller game Alan Wake. But the plot will be different entirely, just that I love the idea of a writer gone insane and had a hard time to differentiate between reality and fantasy. Hope you like it! **


	2. Can't Rest Assure

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Only the plot.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Can't Rest Assure<strong>

**XxXxX**

**Love can sometimes be magic,**

**But magic is usually an illusion.**

**And, illusion is…**

**XxXxX**

"There's nothing inside your eye or your eyeball, to be precise…" said the pink-haired doctor as she moved the flashlight away from Naruto's eyes. The blond frowned in unsatisfactory. He blinked as the light after image was still blurring his vision.

"This may sound crazy but… I really saw it last night" he said. Sakura shook her head lightly while she jotted something on the report.

Then she met Naruto's troubled eyes again. "So, how about the cold you felt last night?".

Naruto frowned at her question. "I don't know. I passed out. That's why I'm here today" he answered half-heartedly.

Sakura sighed at him. "It may be related to your heart. Are you taking the pills last night?" she asked.

"No…" Naruto inhaled. "My wife says that the pills made me gone awry…". He looked at Hinata that was sitting at the corner, eyeing them.

Sakura snorted. "She might be true. How much did you take at one time?" she further investigating him. She felt a sudden speculation that he had overdosed on the pills.

Naruto searched for an answer. She might be right. His wife might be right. "Three…" he said shortly. "Not sure…"

"Not sure?" she repeated after him. Naruto darted his gaze away from her questioning eyes. Those green eyes made him uneasy.

"Naruto?"

"Sometimes… I just don't take it at all" he said.

"He lied". Hinata crossed her arms. Her comment made Naruto felt irritated. And Sakura could saw it on his face. Clearly, he lied.

Silent fell upon them yet again. It was obvious that Sakura was still waiting for him to continue.

"I take it every time I needed it". He finally answered.

"When is it?" asked Sakura. She took out the bottle of the similar pills from her drawer. "It's stated here that you should take it before you sleep, once a day and only a pill each time. You're lucky that you still be able to come here this morning. Overdosing on this pill won't give you a good result"

Naruto sighed deeply. "Look… I haven't had any good night sleep. The medication… it didn't help at all!"

"I suggest that you drop the medication. We need to have counseling on this". Sakura wrote on the report again.

Naruto jolted from his seat. "No! I'm off of this counseling thing!". Sakura was shocked. She replied him with a rather calm stare. "I've had it enough with all this shitty talks!". Naruto bolted out of the room.

Hinata was stunned. "Naruto-kun!" she called out to him. Then she returned to Sakura. "Sorry, Sakura-san. I'll try to convince him"

Sakura smiled bitterly though she knew that a smile is inappropriate at the time. "Naruto needs help, Hinata. I admit that I was wrong when I decided for him to take the medication. But now, he seems like he needed more attention than ever"

Hinata nodded in understanding despite all the turmoil in her heart.

**XxXxX**

Naruto shifted on the bed. He was sweating. His shirt was drenched in his sweat. He was panting in his sleep with eyes shut tight.

'Beeeeeeppp'

A deafening sound was heard in his head. He bolted up on the bed from the noise. Sitting upright, sweating madly and panting. He looked around the room. The noise stopped. And he realized that he was alone in the dark room.

"Arghh…". Naruto placed a hand on his forehead, hitting it slightly. His head was pounding terribly. He even had no idea of how he got home after running away from Sakura's clinic.

Grunted, Naruto got up from the bed. His feet wobbled on the floor, on his way to the bathroom. He turned on the light and almost scared the shit out of himself. His reflection on the mirror looked terrible.

Calming himself down, Naruto ran a hand on his face, and sharp prickly beard was felt over his chin. He had not shaved for two days. "Where is it?" he muttered as he looked for his pills. It was nowhere to be found.

After searching frantically in the overhead bathroom cabinet, Naruto felt a sudden burst of anger rose within him. "Hinata!" he shouted. Teeth gritted and hands fisted.

He left the bedroom, looking for his wife. "Hinata! Where did you put my pills?!"

Naruto stopped at the hallway. He squinted at what he saw. A figure was standing at the stairs. It was a dark, shadowy figure. "Hinata?" he called out.

The figure did not flinch except for a small jolt of its limb. The movement was so sudden and so little as if it was bound and tried to free itself. Naruto gulped in anxiety and his heart beats madly in his chest. "Hinata… is that you?" he asked.

He ran a hand across his face, feeling the sticky sweat on his hand. He blinked a few times. His head was still pounding and the figure across the hall kept blurring in and out of his sight. Naruto grunted as he tried to focus on the figure.

He blinked. The figure seems to move closer. He blinked again and the figure was now at the middle of the hall. Naruto's eyes widened and so was his mouth.

"Who are you?!" he shouted. The darkness seems to envelope him even more. Naruto stepped away, towards his room. The figure provoked him by coming closer towards him.

Holding his breath, Naruto turned and ran to his room. He shut the door behind him.

-**THUD**-

"Go away!" yelled Naruto, cowering next to the bed.

-**THUD**-

He curled up into a ball, shutting his eyes tight and covering his ears. He was breathing heavily. He felt tiny and weak.

**XxXxX**

"Naruto-kun!"

Naruto felt a rough shake on his shoulders. "Wake up, Naruto-kun!". It was Hinata's voice. Naruto opened his eyes.

Worried face of Hinata was in front of him. Impulsively, Naruto hugged her tight. "Wh-what's wrong?" she asked, holding in the pain of being squeezed in Naruto's arms.

"I… I saw…" he stuttered. Naruto could not bring himself to say it. "Nothing… I'm just scared" he said. Hinata calmed him down, hushing softly into his ears.

After some moment, Naruto pulled away from his wife. His eyes gawked wildly at her face. He seems to lose focus on where to lock his gaze on her. "I… I need my pills" he said. Hinata pushed him away. "Why?" she asked.

"Please Hinata! I keep on—". His eyes darted to the open door. He gulped. "I'm seeing things! I need the pills!"

Hinata got up from her kneeling position, she eyed down upon him. "It drives you mad! I've thrown them away…".

"What?!". Naruto gritted his teeth. His angry obsidian eyes locked into hers.

"Naruto-kun! Snap out of this!" she cupped his face with her hands. "The pills aren't helping!"

"No!". Angrily, Naruto swatted her hands. Hinata gasped. "You don't understand!"

Hinata's lips trembled. Her eyebrows furrowed deeply. "You're crazy! I don't know you anymore!" she screamed at his face. Naruto was baffled. Her words felt like the ocean was poured onto him, crushing him down immensely. Hinata stormed out of the room.

Naruto bolted up on his feet, chasing after her. "Hinata!" he yelled her name desperately.

Hinata looked at him over her shoulder as she stopped in front of the main door. Tears were running heavily, down her flushed pink cheeks.

Breathing hard and eyes widened, Naruto stared at her furiously. **"I hate you!"** he exclaimed in a breath.

Hinata's eyes widened for seconds in pure surprise. Pain clutched her heart, she felt suffocated and left with a loud slam on the door.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you like the tense. I've tried hard (maybe not so hard tho..) in thinking of what should happen next and here it is. Tell me what you think! Anyway, thanks for reading.**


	3. Road to Hell

**Disclaimer: Standard**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Road to Hell<strong>

**XxXxX**

**My mind's a mess,**

**My heart's a wreck**

**XxXxX**

The house was in total mess. Dirty plates and cups were full in the sink. Dirty clothes were everywhere on the floor. The air was reek of unpleasant smell from bad ventilation –Naruto did not open any window and even the tiniest gap was sealed.

Loud trashing sound was heard, followed by several angry grunts. Naruto was rummaging through the pile of dirty clothes in the hamper. He looks disorganized, with unruly hair, unshaven beard and tired face. Sighing loudly, he walked to the bed while his hand carelessly scratched the back of his head.

"Where did she put it?" he muttered. His face contorted in anger.

Naruto got up again, to the kitchen. "It can't be that she really thrown it away…"

He was looking for the pills. In annoyance and defeat, he reached for his phone. Then in seconds, Naruto gritted in anger. Hinata apparently turned off her cellphone.

"Fuck! Bitch!". The phone landed hard on the floor. A crack marked on its screen.

Naruto succumbed to the couch in mixed feelings of anger, frustration and desperation. "Hinata… please… come home!".

It has been five days since Hinata left home. And Naruto was at the edge of his sanity.

**XxXxX**

It was getting dark. With a low grunt, Naruto woke up on the couch. His head felt heavy. "Shit!" he cussed.

Naruto looked at the wall clock; it was fifteen minutes pass seven in the evening. The living room was dim. Slowly, he got up and went to the kitchen.

Then he stopped. His head was hurting. He hissed in pain. The walls seem to contract and expand in front of his eyes. The distorted image made him puked on the floor. Naruto wiped off the trail of his vomit on his mouth with his sleeve.

The dizziness weakened his knees, he fell to the floor. 'Naruto-kun…' a soft voice was calling for him.

"Hinata?". Naruto looked around frantically but no one was there.

Suddenly, the door clicked. Hinata peeked inside the house and immediately cupped her mouth and nose using her hand. "Naruto-kun?"

Sprinting towards Naruto, Hinata put her hands on his shoulders. The blond was smiling bitterly at her. "You're… home…" he trailed off and passed out.

'Beeeeeeppp'

_"__The sound… stop it…" Naruto was talking in his head._

The deafening sound in his unconscious state was getting louder by the seconds. He forced himself to wake up.

"Naruto-kun…". Hinata called out to him as he jolted on the bed. He opened his eyes and was breathing heavily.

Worried face of Hinata was on his left and Sakura on his right. They both looked at him with concerned eyes.

"Let me see…". Sakura shone the light to his eyes. It made Naruto turned his head away. "You seem okay, now…".

"What is wrong with me?" asked Naruto.

"It's the effect of the withdrawal…". Sakura shifted her gaze towards Hinata. "Hinata was right to throw the pills away, although you think it may be harsh"

**XxXxX**

Days passed with Naruto being cleanse from the prescription. He felt much better but he was wrong.

"Hinata…" Naruto walked over to the kitchen, where Hinata was preparing breakfast. He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Just sit down… will be ready soon". Hinata pouted.

Naruto ignored her; he trailed kisses on her neck. "Naruto-kun, stop it…". Hinata started to protest.

"Alright… alright…". Then Naruto gave a warm kiss on her cheek before shifting his attention to what was cooking.

"Smells go—". His smile faded away as he jumped a step back.

Hinata turned to him, frowning. "Why? This is your favorite… bacon and eggs"

Naruto was clearly turning pale and swallowed hard while his eyes fixed on the shimmering food. He knew something was totally off… with himself.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata called out to her dazed husband.

Forcing a smile, Naruto replied her gaze. He so much did not want to make her worry. Especially not to make Hinata thought that he was going crazy again.

"No-Nothing…" he stuttered. "It looks… delicious… I'm hungry…". His voice lowered as he made his way to the dining table. But the maggots that were frying in the pan could not leave his head.

Hinata turned to him, putting his plate of maggots on the table. Naruto was wide eyes at the breakfast. He held the urge to vomit.

"Go on… eat". Hinata was eyeing him.

Naruto looked at her, then to the 'food'. _"Is she testing me? Is this for real or just a lame joke…?"_ he thought.

"Hi-Hinata… why don't you eat?". He realized that she was simply watching him.

"Umm, later… its fun…" she blushed. "…fun to see you eat, Naruto-kun…". Hinata smiled.

Naruto gaped a little at her twisted smile. He forsook his own thought. With trembling hand, he poked the maggots with the fork. Hinata kept on smiling, eyeing each of his movement.

Naruto's breathing became shallow as his hand brought the 'food' closer to his mouth. He forced the 'food' to come in contact with the inner of his mouth. The foul smell immediately spread in his mouth.

"Why? Does it taste that bad?". Hinata frowned deeply, while Naruto was grimacing, with the 'food' still in his mouth. He swallowed it whole with the help of the orange juice.

"It's—". Naruto choked then threw up. Mix of eggs and his last night dinner were now splattering on the table. "I'm… I'm sorry…" he exhaled.

Hinata was taken aback. But she immediately helped him with the cleaning. Meanwhile, Naruto was breathing heavily. The food seems fine. No maggots, nothing, just plain bacon and eggs.

**XxXxX**

After the terrible breakfast, Naruto went to his writing room. As soon as he entered the room, his anger rose. His books was scattered across the room, paper sheets was all over the floor and his laptop was messed with.

"What the f—" he gritted his teeth and fisted his hands as he bolted to the living room. "Hinata! What's all this?!" he yelled.

Hinata was startled. "What's wrong?" she asked, looking bedazzled by Naruto's yelling.

"My room! Who mess with my room?!". Naruto's face contorted in pure anger, it terrifies Hinata. "What are you trying to pull here, Hinata?!"

The said lady was trembling slightly, at the sight of her furious husband. "I don't know—" she followed her husband to the room. "—I didn't do anything…" she trailed off as Naruto swung open the door.

The room was completely untouched. Everything was in place. "What the—" Naruto was baffled. His eyes widen in terror as he walked into the tidy room. Nothing like the wreck he just had saw earlier.

Hinata's lips trembled. Heat swooshed from her feet to her face. Angry, disappointed and yet confuse of the situation. Naruto swallowed hard as he turned to look at Hinata.

"Hinata… I—". Hinata stomped out of the room. "Shit! She must think I'm crazy!" cussed Naruto.

Naruto went over to Hinata that was crying her eyes out in their bedroom. Silently, Naruto stood in front of the sobbing lady. He was troubled. "Hinata… I'm so sorry… maybe I've just lost my mind…" he muttered.

Hinata stopped sobbing and looked at Naruto with her blurry eyes. Tears came streaming down her cheeks.

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><p><strong>AN: The story will move on to a more twisted plot in next chapter. Happy reading!**


	4. The Journey to Nowhere

**Disclaimer: I don't own narutoverse. Only the plot and OCs if any.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: The Journey to Nowhere<strong>

**XxXxX**

**The path to heaven runs through miles of clouded hell**

**XxXxX**

_'Naruto'. _

_The voice echoed in his head again and again._

_Naruto turned off the radio. His breathing was getting shallower. The voice stopped, being replaced by a bright light coming from the other side of the road. His grip on the steering tightened as he swung it to the left of the road._

**XxXxX**

"So, you wake up after that?" asked the pink haired doctor. She tapped her pen lightly on the report while eyeing the blondie.

Naruto was on the recliner across of her. "Yeah… I woke up every time after the light. It's almost the same, but some parts might change a little" he sighed. "…the dream repeats every night. Well, most night… sometimes I just don't dream, or…"

"Don't sleep…". Sakura cut him off. She crossed her legs, leaning back at her chair.

"Yeah… I think it's a nightmare… but why?". Naruto stared curiously at Sakura, hoping for an acceptable explanation or even a cure.

"How's your book progress?". Sakura's asked in a calm but clear voice.

"I haven't progress much. But my editor had started complaining…"

Sakura nodded. "What kind of story are you working on now, Naruto?".

"About a deranged man… accused of murdering his own family". Naruto simply answered.

"Are you writing about yourself?". Sakura's eyebrow rose subtly.

Naruto was caught by the question. He felt slightly angered at her. "Are you implying that I'm deranged?!". Clearly, Naruto gritted his teeth.

"You tell me". Sakura did not falter nor flinch.

Naruto ran a hand through his blond locks. He averted his gaze. "No. I don't know… I don't –haven't kill anyone".

"Yet". Sakura appended to his sentence. Naruto reluctantly returned his gaze towards her. He frowned.

"Have you been out lately? I mean, meeting people and such?" asked Sakura.

Naruto sighed. "Yes, I've met Sasuke last two days".

"Interesting. He didn't tell me though". Sakura smiled slightly. Sasuke is her husband for two years and he was the one who introduced Naruto as a patient to Sakura. "So, how does it feel? Meeting people, that is…".

"Nothing much. Wait, are we still talking about my nightmare? I think you've changed the topic…". Slight anger in his tone, Naruto crossed his arms.

Sakura smiled at him. "You're fine, Naruto. The nightmare doesn't correlate to your withdrawal from the medication" she got up, walked over to her desk.

Naruto gave her a doubting look. Sakura shook her head slightly. "It's just in your head. You might be over-think things… maybe it's your book, think too much of it?" she said. Naruto snorted at the thought, disagree much.

"Here, your new prescription" she took out a bottle of pills, shaking it a little.

Naruto gaped at her. "What? I thought you want me to sober?"

"Silly. I didn't ask you to overdose on this thing!". Sakura chuckled. "Besides, this is a relaxant. Helps you to relax your muscles, could cause drowsiness". She put it on the desk with a clank.

Naruto got up. He took the bottle and observed it.

"Take one _only, _before you go to sleep".

**XxXxX**

The first few days, the pill seems like magic. Naruto had a good night sleep like he had never before.

"But I don't like it that you're dependent on the pills, Naruto-kun…". Hinata scowled, one morning.

"I'll try not to… So, don't worry". Naruto smiled, placing a soft kiss upon his wife's lips.

And as the day went on, Naruto was in his writing room, working on his book. That was when his head started pounding. As if the world itself was beating.

"Dammit…" he cussed, rubbing his temple. His vision started to get blurry. The words on the monitor got jumbled up.

A low groan escaped his mouth as his head was thrown back, eyes closed. "Naruto-kun?". Hinata called out to him.

Naruto's eyes opened again. He turned around and saw Hinata at the door. "Yes?" he said. "It's dinner time..." she said and left.

It was way past dinner time. Naruto sat at the dinner table, eating, while Hinata watched him. "Why don't you call me earlier?" Naruto asked with his mouth full.

Hinata turned her gaze away. "I don't want to disturb you, that's all. You're so… into your work…" she sounded sarcastic somehow. Naruto caught her tone.

"Sorry...". Naruto finished his last few spoonful of rice. "Thank you for the meal".

Hinata did the washing while Naruto had his drink and watched her back. "Hinata…" he called out to her.

"Hm?". She did not even turn around.

"How do you fancy… umm…". Naruto scratched his not itchy head. "…a honeymoon?".

Hinata's eyes were widened for seconds. She peeked on her husband over her shoulder. "What are you blabbering about? We've been married for almost three years now…".

Naruto chuckled. "But honeymoon is great. So, what do you think?"

"A vacation sounds much more appropriate" Hinata corrected him, jokingly.

"Honeymoon…" he corrected her. "So, what do you say?"

Hinata had finished washing; she dried her hands with a small towel. "Sounds fun, I'm on" she said. Naruto's eyes lighted up in joy. Her smile made his heart jumped happily.

**XxXxX**

Naruto zipped the luggage and brought it to the living room. Then he went to his writing room. He packed his laptop and some books inside the backpack.

"I thought we're going for a _honeymoon_?". Hinata pressed on the word 'honeymoon' while raising an eyebrow. Naruto immediately turned towards her voice and met with her blank expression.

"Hinata… I was just…". He managed to decipher her meaning although her stare brings no emotion. "…I promise my work won't disturb us. Just, I need to bring it over. Maybe I'll get inspired and could write even better book".

Hinata sighed. "Whatever. But you've promised!" she widened her eyes in provocation. "…Work won't interfere!".

Naruto saluted at her. "Yes ma'am!" he said. Hinata snorted at his antics.

Before leaving the room, Naruto took out the bottle of his prescription. "I don't need this…" he muttered, leaving it behind.

**XxXxX**

Hinata fastened the seatbelt. Meanwhile, Naruto was still outside talking to his editor.

"I know, Mr. Xin. I won't let you wait… yes, yes… just a vacation" he said. Then he hung up and got inside the driver's seat.

"Work?" asked Hinata. She was hoping that Naruto could leave his work at least for the so-called honeymoon.

Naruto nodded weakly. "Mm-hmm…"

"This isn't for me, Naruto-kun. It's for you too, for us…". Hinata gave him a concerned look in the eyes. Naruto smiled at her.

"Yes, I know" he caressed her hand lovingly. "I love you, Hinata"

**XxXxX**

Naruto was glancing at the GPS once in awhile. Making sure that he took every turn correctly and not to get lost. They journeyed for almost eight hours along the countryside road. As they entered the town, a huge signboard was seen by the roadside.

"_Kiri_ village? What a weird name…" muttered Hinata. "Where do you find this place, anyway?".

Naruto glanced at her. "Umm… Mr. Xin told me about it. He said this village is peaceful, great for relaxing and enjoying the countryside life".

"You mean homestay village?" Hinata was baffled somehow.

Naruto simply nodded. "Look!" he pointed to the rice fields across the road. "Greenery! Hard to find in our concrete city" he grinned widely, somewhat content.

"I'm looking forward to all this…". Hinata smiled, being amused by her keen husband.

**XxXxX**

As they arrived at the small town, Naruto parked in front of the village police station. "We have to walk to the homestay. Vehicle isn't allowed further than this". Naruto got out of the car.

"Hm… interesting". Hinata raised an eyebrow as she picked up a small luggage. Meanwhile Naruto took the larger luggage and locked the car.

"You shouldn't be here" said a voice, startling Naruto.

Naruto immediately turned around to see a young girl stood behind him. She wore a yellow dress, with long dark hair and bangs framing her face. "Why?" Naruto managed to blurt out.

"You shouldn't be here…" the girl repeated, pointing to the ground.

Hinata walked over to Naruto's side. "What's wrong, Naruto-kun?" she whispered. Naruto shrugged.

"I've called the chief here, though. He knew that I'm coming". Naruto frowned at the girl. "I have the permission to park—"

"But not here!" she cut in quickly. The girl walked to the front of the car, pointing to the ground. "It's the chief's parking spot!".

Both Naruto and Hinata were exhaling in relieve as they glanced at each other. "Sorry, girly. I'll move this car somewhere else, then". Naruto ruffled the girl's hair. "After I see the chief…" he then walked inside the station.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ahh, I'm sorry that this doesn't feel so much re-pulse-sive. Anyway, happy reading!**

**Thoughts and constructive criticisms are welcome.**


	5. Re-Pulse-Ive

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters unless it's my OCs. And plot/background belongs to me and me only.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: Re-Pulse-Sive<strong>

**XxXxX**

**Why stop dreaming when you wake up?**

**XxXxX**

Hinata looked to her left and right. "Everyone is looking at us funny…"

"I know… because we're strangers here" Naruto whispered back. He walked ahead of his wife. "We're almost there…"

They headed to the two storey wooden house down the hill.

"There's even a river behind…" said Naruto, pointing to it. Hinata nodded.

As they reached the house, an old lady greeted them and took them to their room. "This is your room. And you're the only ones staying upstairs. My room is next to the kitchen downstairs," she said.

"Thank you, baa-chan". Hinata bowed slightly.

"If you got anything to ask, I'll be at the garden" the old lady left them.

Their room was at the end of the hallway. It was rather empty with only a large dresser, a coffee table, a desk and chair. The futons were folded neatly by the wall.

Immediately, Naruto and Hinata unpacked their stuffs. "It's a great start" muttered Hinata. Naruto could not agree more, he hoped everything will turn out okay.

After finished unpacking, Naruto lay tiredly in the middle of the room. "I'm worn out…" he shut his eyes. "My eyes feel like burning"

"Why don't you take a shower?". Hinata sat next to him. Naruto turned his back on her, groaning lowly. "You go first"

The wife sighed. "Fine…" she took the bathrobe and left the room.

**XxXxX**

After awhile, Naruto awaken from his nap. It was already dark. He got up and turned the light on. "Where's Hinata?" he muttered, looking at the door.

Instead of looking for her, he took out his laptop and put it on the coffee table. He decided on doing his work while Hinata was not around.

The laptop dinged, entering the start screen. Naruto's eyes trailed at the time. "7.03pm?" his eyes narrowed. Naruto scratched his head carelessly in disbelief. He had been napping for more than four hours.

_"And why the hell does Hinata isn't coming here?"_ he thought. Ideas of having Hinata angrily barged in the room and awaken him from his slumber filled his mind.

Apparently, it was not the case. Naruto ignored the thought, he did some typing as ideas came flooding.

Time passed by without Naruto realizing that it was already 9.30pm. His stomach grumbled.

"Tch…" Naruto looked at the time again. His eyes widen and he immediately thought of his wife. "Where the fuck is she?" he cussed.

Naruto made his way to the window. It was grey outside because of the thick fog. He closed the window.

He then made his way to the door, thinking that Hinata might be hanging out with the house owner downstairs and forgot about him. He swung the door open and was greeted by darkness.

The hallway was pitch black. Naruto swallowed hard. "H-Hinata?" he called out while making his way to the hallway. The only light source was from his room.

Slowly, Naruto walked along the dark hallway. "Hinata?" he called out again.

The darkness seemed to consume the space and Naruto felt lost in it. He stopped. _"Maybe I should stay in the room"_ he thought and turned around. But the room was dark too.

His heartbeat started to pick up. "I-I didn't turn off the light…" he reasoned with himself. Naruto started to feel uneasy, cold sweat formed on his forehead. Slowly, he turned around and decided to go downstairs.

**XxXxX**

"Hinata…" Naruto's voice echoed across the room. Dim moonlight shone through the windows was his light source for now.

"Baa-chan? Hinata?" he called out while his eyes scanned in the dark for the switches. "Where the heck are they?" he walked into the living room. A dark figure was sitting on the couch.

Naruto held a gasp. His breath hitched in his chest. "H-hinata?" he inched closer to the couch. As he was getting the clearer image of the figure, the lights miraculously turned on.

"Happy birthday!"

Naruto was gaping in surprise and confusion. Hinata, Sakura, Sasuke, the house owner and even his editor, Mr. Xin were there.

"Fuck it, guys!" he ran a hand through his blonde hair. "You almost give me a heart attack!"

Everyone was chuckling at him. "Sorry, Naruto-kun… It's all Sasuke-kun's idea" said Hinata. "I bet you almost piss your pants, dobe. Anyway, you should thank me…" stated Sasuke.

"Dammit, yes! Thanks guys…" Naruto stuttered. "But… I just can't believe my eyes… Mr. Xin, you're agreeing to this stupid mission…" he chuckled.

"Sakura-san here and your wife pleaded me to…" Mr. Xin shrugged. "I just can't refuse women"

Naruto eyes narrowed. "You're… you're a perv-" he cut himself off.

"You're lucky, young man… they all loves you" said the old lady. Naruto felt teary in his eyes. He was overwhelmed by the birthday surprise.

Hinata came up to him with a birthday cake in her hands. "Come on Naruto-kun… blow the candles"

"Okay… thanks everyone…" he then blew the candles. The vanilla cake was written 28th on it with blue frosting.

"Now make a wish…" said Sakura as they were all clapping their hands. Naruto shut his eyes and silently made a wish.

**XxXxX**

After all the partying, the rest of the guests excused themselves. It was almost midnight. "Hey, are you all sure? This place is close to nothing…" said Naruto.

"We'll be fine. Me and Sakura are staying at an inn outside of town…" replied Sasuke. Naruto nodded.

"So, how about you Mr. Xin?" Naruto's eyes narrowed at the slightly drunk man.

"I'm fine… Don't worry, Uzu-chan…" he said and made his way outside the house.

Naruto grimaced inwardly at his editor for calling him by his family name and with the 'chan' suffix that is. "Do drive carefully..." he and Hinata waved towards them.

"Thanks, Hinata…" muttered Naruto as he looked at the lady next to him.

She smiled. "I'm going to help baa-chan with the dirty dishes. You better take a shower now…"

Nodded and grinned, Naruto made his way upstairs. His stomach was queasy somehow because of the alcohol and lots of sweets that he just consumed. "What a terrible dinner…" he muttered.

He entered the bathroom and turned the tap on. Naruto gargled to remove the mix of tastes he had in his mouth. Then he washed his face. Suddenly a realization kicked in his mind, his eyes widened in seconds.

Naruto stood straight. He stared blankly at his own reflection on the mirror. Water dripped down his chin. He swallowed hard as his heart beat faster.

_"So, who turned the light off in the room before?"_ he silently thought. He shuddered and had goose bumps all over.

"Ah, forget it…" he mumbled and waived it off. He took a quick shower.

**XxXxX**

Naruto returned to their room after the shower. And Hinata was there with arms crossed. "Naruto-kun… you just can't help it, don't you?" she snarled.

The blonde husband was startled. His eyes trailed to his laptop on the coffee table. "I- I was just being inspired…"

Hinata snorted. She too, looked at the laptop. "That's not what I mean…" she took out something from Naruto's backpack. "It's this!" she put the white bottle on the table, harshly.

Naruto was dumbfounded. He narrowed his eyes. He clearly remembered leaving the prescription behind. "I don't know how it got there!" he said.

Hinata shook her head. "I don't want to get angry at you on your birthday, Naruto-kun…" her lips quivered. "But… you've promised me, not to bring that shit together!"

The blonde exhaled loudly. "No, I didn't Hinata! Trust me! I left it at home!"

"So, are you suggesting that the bottle jumped into your backpack?!"

"Huh?" Naruto was frowning at his wife. "I- How should I know…"

"Whatever…" Hinata left the room.

"Hinata…" Naruto called out to her but she slammed the door at his face.

"Shit!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hm... last chapter for this year. This story is going to be on HIATUS until the first week of January next year. I'm going on a holiday across the continent! Anyway, hope you like this chapter. Reviews and constructive criticisms are always welcome!**

**p/s: Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday to all. Cheers!**


	6. Everything Crumbles

**Disclaimer: I don't own narutoverse but the story/plot.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6: Everything Crumbles<strong>

**XxXxX**

**The difference between you and me is that when you wake up,**

**Your nightmare ends**

**XxXxX**

Naruto woke up from his sleep. It was dark. He turned to his left, and Hinata was sleeping soundly. Their small arguments earlier about the pills ended up with a crazy make-up sex. Although, Naruto was still puzzled on how the pills end up in his backpack.

The blonde sat up on the _futon, _while yawning and carelessly scratching the back of his head. His bladder suddenly threaten to spill on the _futon_, thus Naruto shot up on his feet.

"Damn it-" he cussed as his feet wobbled from the sudden standing position but he could not risk peeing on the sheet like a child.

As his head was still pounding slightly and hands cupped over his groin, Naruto's goal was the door. After a few steps out of the _futon_, something caught Naruto's attention.

The corner of his eyes caught something peculiar. Someone is on his _futon_.

Naruto gulped. The feeling of anxiety filled his head, making him forgot about the toilet. Slowly, he turned his head. Hinata was still sleeping on her own _futon_. And someone was next to her.

Who is it? When did he or she come in? How could he not notice?

All of those questions were loitering in his head at the moment. He could not seem to answer any but wanted to at least see that someone.

Naruto's breath was getting shallower and then hitched immediately. His eyes widen and his breathe caught in his chest. The person laying on his _futon_ is **himself**.

"…" for a few terrifying minutes, Naruto stood there completely frozen at what he saw.

_He_ was still sleeping soundlessly next to his wife. His blond hair, his eyes, his nose and his slightly parted mouth. Everything is him or used to be his. He looked peaceful indeed. But seeing oneself sleeping is rather unreal.

The world felt like crumbling, that Naruto's feet wobbled again. Naruto gasped as he tried to bring himself to steady his ground. But he failed. No one should see himself sleeping, was Naruto's thought.

Although he knew that Out of Body Phenomenon does exist but for it to happen to him was unacceptable.

"This is insane…" he whispered.

In disbelief, Naruto stepped forward. He squinted in the dim moonlight to figure out the reality. And it was real indeed, as he touched the comforter, the **_him_** was solid and real and even shifting slightly.

Naruto stumbled backward a few steps from the realization, from the authenticity of the other him. His back hit the wall and he slowly descended on the floor, shivering. His eyes widen in pure fear and he breathed heavily through both his nose and mouth.

"This c-can't be real!"

Naruto shook his head as his fingers intertwine within his blond locks, tugging a handful of it harshly. The pain he felt was real. The other _him_ was real too.

"Hinata! Hinata, wake up!". Naruto screamed but no sound was coming out. Another sad realization hit him. He gasped and his eyes widen even more, if possible.

And worsen as he peed himself on the floor. Naruto accepted the fact that he was having sleep paralysis and it was not fun at all. He was cowering by the wall, eyeing himself sleeping, hoping that the sleep paralysis would end soon.

_"__Please, please, please… let this end—"_

However, something struck within himself. If he was having sleep paralysis, would he still be able to wet himself? Naruto slowly got up on his feet and walked towards the _futon_.

He swallowed hard at the spitting image _they_ were sharing. "-that _he_ shares with me" he corrected his conscience.

Naruto squinted at the other him. "I must _wake_ up from this nightmare…"

Silently, he knelt next to the _futon_. His hand stretched towards the other Naruto's face. He wanted to wake the other him, or rather to wake _himself_ up from the nightmare.

/tap/

Naruto gasped. His wrist was grasped in one swift motion.

"What are you doing?" the other Naruto spoke. His voice was rasp, almost a whisper.

Naruto's eyes widen in fear. He tried to release his wrist from the grasp.

Realizing the struggle, the other Naruto smirked. "You shouldn't be here…"

"What?" his voice sounded like a soft whisper. Naruto felt hopeless, he stopped struggling. His gaze went wild, in fear.

"You heard me right, _Naruto_…" said the other Naruto.

Naruto's breathing was picking up. He eyed his sleeping wife. "HINATA!" but no sound came out. He was devastated.

The other Naruto chuckled evilly. He then stretched his arm and pulled Naruto to him.

The world went dark.

**XxXxX**

"GAHHH-" Naruto panted and was sitting on his _futon_. He looked around the room frantically.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata touched Naruto's left arm but was slapped away by the blondie. Hinata gasped.

"S-Sorry, Hinata…" Naruto ran a hand through his hair. "It was- on impulse" he was breathless.

Hinata frowned deeply. "It's okay. You're just having a nightmare, Naruto-kun. It's only in your head" She caressed his hand lovingly. "It's over now…"

Naruto nodded in dismay. So much for him to take. "Y-yeah… it was terrible" he said. His heart was still racing but he was glad that he woke up in one piece.

_"__In one me…"_ he thought.

He turned to Hinata and once again, he was terrified. "Fuckkk!" he pulled away from Hinata.

The wife was rather upset. "What's wrong?"

Naruto's eyes widen. "Pl-please… wake me up…" he said with shaky voice while slapping himself on the cheeks.

"You're already awake, Naruto-kun!" She stretched out for him. Naruto flinched away on impulse.

"No! Stay away!"

Hinata was looking at her husband in distraught. But she was helpless. Nothing she could do.

"I don't know what's happening to you…" she breathed out. Her face was full of concern.

Naruto was breathing hard and staring at Hinata in disgust, in terror. "I'm still dreaming, that is…"

He was confused.

"No, you're not…" replied Hinata.

And that made Naruto's heart racing. Hinata's face was blank except for her moving mouth.

_"__This is crazy! Who the fuck is this?"_ he thought deeply while his gaze never faltered from Hinata. Even the slightest movement made by his wife would make him jolted.

The dark haired lady tilted her head in confusion. Least that she knew Naruto could not see her very well but her mouth.

Naruto shook his head. "This isn't real" he muttered.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry for the looong hiatus. I had a nice holiday anyway, and hope you too! Anyway, here's the new chapter. Hope you like it. Haha, enjoy!**

**[Comments? Follow? Favorite? Criticisms?]**


	7. Ripples

**Disclaimer: I don't own Narutoverse except the plot/storyline and OCs.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: Ripple<strong>

**XxXxX**

**You never know how far your ripples may reach**

**XxXxX**

"Naruto-kun?"

Hinata said as the husband kept on avoiding her. "You're acting weird again, Naruto!"

The blondie stopped flinching away. He had a hard time fixing a gaze on Hinata's face. Only her mouth was visible to him and the fact that she actually dropped the suffix 'kun', made him even more distressed.

"Sorry, I was still thinking of the nightma—"Naruto was cut off.

Hinata suddenly chuckled. Naruto frowned, staring at her mouth. He was not amused at all. Neither at the way her mouth curved upward, opened and twisted in such a way and the tone of her hysterical laugh.

Naruto swallowed hard. He was frozen on the _futon_, while his back was pressed hard against the coffee table. Hinata's laugh grew deeper as her head fell back, as if she was enjoying it so much.

"Hi-Hinata…?" muttered Naruto. His heart started to beat crazily in his chest.

The wife's laugh slowly receded into soft gasps. And she looked at Naruto again.

"You seem scared…" she smiled evilly. "...why?" she crawled towards him.

The blondie trembled in fear. "Stop it! Hinata!" he yelled, as he brought his knees close to his chest. The sight in front of him was nothing less than a horror movie.

The lady that he once loved was no longer known to him. Her long dark hair now swayed left to right as she crouched ever so slowly to him. A few strands messily dangled on her only visible feature. Her pale skin that turned grayish under the dim light.

Naruto grasped on the futon, his teeth gritted and he squinted at the coming lady. "Hinata! Cut it off!" he yelled.

**"I'm not Hi-na-ta!"** screamed the lady. Naruto gasped. The lady was mere a breath away from his face in a blink of an eye. Naruto fell to the floor.

**"In yo ur he a d…"** she whispered with her teeth gritted. **"I t's all in y our he a d…"** she continued. Her voice was rasp.

Naruto's eyes were wide, staring at the lady's face, at the place where her eyes should be. "I don't get it…" he muttered. His body stiffened in fear.

The lady cupped his face. Her hands were icy cold. **"Yo u'r e the on e w ho don't ge t it…"** she breathed onto his skin. **"…y o u sh oul d n 't be he r e…"**

Fear kicked in like a drug in Naruto's system. He was shaking terribly. And worsened, the lady strangled him.

"Gahh—" Naruto gasped for air. The lady squeezed tightly around Naruto's neck while her mouth twisted upward. Her nails dug into his skin, drawing droplet of blood.

"Let… me… go!"

**"No! I'll le t you s ee…!"**

Naruto tried to lift her hands but to no avail. His strength diminished by the seconds. And his vision became blurry.

_'Naruto-kun…'_

Hinata's voice called for him in a distant. Naruto squinted and struggled for the bit of air he could inhale.

_'Naruto… kun…'_

Again, the voice was heard, followed by a bright flash of light.

"Arghh… hahh…" Naruto squeezed the faceless woman's hands.

And again the bright light. _"I'm dying…"_ he pathetically thought.

**XxXxX**

Hinata frantically tried to wake Naruto up. Her husband desperately choked the very life from himself. While Hinata struggled with her might to pull his hands away. But as strong as her pull, Naruto's grasp around his own neck was even stronger.

"Naruto-kun! Please!"

The landlady barged into the room after hearing the loud commotion. "What's happening?"

"Please, baa-chan! He's choking himself!"

Quickly, the old lady helped Hinata. The two women tried to pull Naruto's hands away from his neck. "He's too strong!"

"Na-Naruto…kun!" Hinata's eyes were teary. "Wake up! Please!"

The blonde gasped and trembled violently. And the chaos continued for a few more minutes until Naruto rested silently in a sudden.

**XxXxX**

Distant beeping sound was heard. Hinata's voice too, echoed in the dark space. Naruto was floating somewhere in the dark. He could not feel anything but fear, could not see anything but the darkness and could not hear anything but the beeping sound and Hinata's echoing voice.

_'__I wish… I'm home… and done with this…'_

"He's opening his eyes!" the voice of the landlady was heard.

Slowly, Naruto's eyes fluttered open. Hinata clasped her mouth. Tears ran down her cheeks. "Naruto-kun?" she hugged the blondie.

Naruto grunted slightly. His eyes adjusted to the room brightness. "Hinata?" he said in hoarse voice.

"Where am I?"

"With us, Naruto-kun…"

Naruto felt stinging pain around his neck area. "Don't move too much… you hurt your neck…" said Hinata. "I'm glad that you're okay…"

Naruto frowned slightly. He noticed the trail of tears on her cheeks and her swollen eyes. "Yeah, it hurts but I'll survive this…"

"You had us worrying, young man…" said the old lady. "Here, drink this…"

"Than—" Naruto was about to take the glass of water, when he gasped and jolted.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata held him.

"Ouch!" Naruto held the back of his neck. Painful throb felt down to his spine.

However, he ignored the pain and his eyes widened in seconds. He swallowed hard. "You—"

He pointed shakily at the old lady. "Who are you?!"

Hinata exchanged her gaze form Naruto to the landlady. They both shrugged slightly. "What are you talking about? It's me, the landlady…" said the old lady, putting the glass on the table.

Naruto was still distressed. He glanced at his wife, and then back to the old lady. _"This is still not right…"_ he thought silently. He was able to see Hinata's face clearly but now, _"…I can't see baa-chan's face…"_.

**XxXxX**

A village doctor came. He checked up on Naruto. And still, Naruto could not see his face. Worst than his nightmare, their face was flat empty. When the doctor talked to him, Naruto could not stop eyeing his moving jaw. The only thing that was obvious on that smooth skin.

"So, that's all Uzumaki-san… If there's anything else, just call for me…" said the doctor as he excused himself.

That was all Naruto could get from him. Most of the time, he was puzzled by the situation. Moments later, Hinata entered the room again.

"Naruto-kun… you looked pale"

"I'm fine… Maybe I'm just tired"

"Okay then, I'll leave you to rest. If there's anything you need, just call for me" then Hinata left.

Naruto nodded slightly. _"How can I tell her that I don't see people's faces but hers?"_

His head pounded in confusion, until something struck in his mind. Immediately Naruto turned his head to his backpack. "Ouch! That hurt—" he cussed under his breath.

Slowly, Naruto got up and shifted slightly to get his backpack. "It's still here, I guess…" he muttered.

He felt inside the bag until his hand touched a smooth plastic surface. Naruto smirked. He found the pills.

**XxXxX**

Naruto gathered his strength and walked to the washroom. He stood there silently, staring at his reflection on the mirror. He sighed deeply before swallowing the pills on his palm with tap water.

_"__I'm sorry, Hinata… but I need to do this"_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey! So, I'm changing my mind. I'm going to update my stories everytime I've finished typing it. How's that sound? Disadvantage to me bcuz I prefer on Friday night or Saturday morning. But this is just a test. And still, I hope you like this chapter.**

**Comments? Criticisms? Cheers!**


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